Blowout preventer



Oct. 15, 1940. A. J. PEM-CK Er AL BLOWOUT PREVENTER l l FiledDec. 9,

1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l I i lllll HH Patented Oct. l5, 1940 I Y l I l.

UNITED STATES 'PA'ri-:NTv ori-ica Arthur J. reniek and 'i'rirb "r. Peuiek, neusten, ex

Application peeember 9, 1937, serial No. 17am z claims. (masi-215s) l This invention relates to a blowout preventer. nected to the well casing I and leading outfrom An object of the invention is to provide a the connection 6 there is the usual flow line 1.

blowout preventer of the ram type for forming The top 3 of the preventercasing ls provided with a uid tight seal between the outer casing. and a circular opening 8 to permit the passage of the the drill stem or other inner pipe in a well.` inner pipe or drill stem 9 therethrough. 5

It is another object` of the. invention to pro- On opposite sides of the inner pipe, and mountvide a blowout preventer of the character de ed in the preventer casing are the complementa! scribed equipped with resilient packing material rams designated generally by the numerals I0, Ill. which will completely surround the inner pipe, The' rams are of similar construction. Each rainv l0 when the rams are in active position and form embodies a retainer II for the ealing-meansl or l0 a uid tight seal therewith and which will also packing. This retainer embodies a rectangular .form continuous seals between the rams and the bottom Ila, to ride on the bottom of the pre.

preventer casing around the opening for the inner vVenter casing, the sidewalls I Ib, to ride against pipe through said casing. i the sides of the preventer casing, and the outer A further object of the invention resides in end wall IIc. Each ram also includes a.cover l5 the provision of a novel type of blowout preplate I2. The inner margins of the. bottom IIa Venter having rams of suchv- `construction that and the cover I2 are arcuate as shown in Figures the sealing material may from time to time be 2 and i to conform to the shape of and, to. sursubjected to compressionas required, to take roundrthe inner pipe 9. lThe retainer II is thereup the wear to which the packing material is subfore movable radially relative to the correspond- 20 jected so as to constantly'maintain said seals. ing cover plate I2.4 The plate I2 has the depend- The invention embodies, in a blowout preing stops I3, I3 at its outer margin against which venter, a novel type of rammore specifically herethe end wall of the corresponding retainer envinafter described.- gages. when the rams are moved to inactive po- With the above and other objects in view the sition so as to cause the plates I2 to also move 25 inventionhas particular relation to certain novel outwardly to inactive position. 'I'he bottom of features of construction, operation and arrangeeach retainer is formed with 'an arcuate groove ment of parts, an example of which isV given in I l, said grooves registering when the rams are this specication and illustrated in the accommoved to active position so as to form a continuso panying drawings,- whereinn ous circular groove all the way around the open- 3o Figure 1 shows a vertical, sectional view of the ing through the preventer casing and the upper blowout preventer vshowing an inner pipe therein side of the cover plates I2 have similar grooves with the rams* in active position to form a uid l5 which similarly register when the rams are Vtight seal between the inner pipe and the outer in active position. 'Ihe grooves I4`and I5 have well casing. A the spaced openings I6 and I1 from lthe interior 35 Figure 2 shows a horizontal, sectional view ofeach retainer into the corresponding grooves.

showing one of the rams partly broken away. The retainers `are lled with 4Va sealing material Figure 3 showsfa vertical; sectional view taken I8 formed of rubber or other, suitableresilient omthe line 3-3 of Figure 2, with the sealing mamaterial and this material is molded through the 40 terialremoved, and openings I6, I1 and into the grooves I4, I5 so as 40 Figure'4 shows a plan view. to illl the latter'thus forming the lower and upper Referring nowmore particularly to the drawpacking rings I9, .20 which form seals with the ings wherein `like numerals of reference desigbottom and top, respectively, of the preventer casnate the same parts in each of the figures, the ing all around the opening therethrough for the numeral I designates an outer well casing to the inner pipe, .when `the rams are in active posie 45 upper -end of which the casing of the blowoutV tion. preventer is attached. As illustrated the blow- It y:will be noted that the inner ends of the rams out preventer casing is substantially rectanguare completely open and the sealingv material -is lar in cross-section with its bottom 2 and top 3 exposed through saidjopen inner ends and is approximately parallel and having the parallel formed arcuate to conform to the shape of and 50 sidewalls 4, 4.. The outer ends of the preventer to fit closely around the inner pipe, or drill s tem casirigare closed by the end plates 5, 5 which may to form a seal therewith when the rams are in be boltei'thereto as more accurately shown in said'active position. Figures -`l'and 4. Thepreventer casing has a The end plates i of the preventer casing are tubular T-connection 6 whereby it may be con- .piovided with internally threaded bosses 2I, 2l .s

through which the shafts 22, 22 may be threaded and the inner ends of these shafts have swiveling connections with the end plates IIc of the respective retainers, as more accurately shown in A Figures 1 and 2, whereby the rams may be moved outwardly into inactive position or inwardly into active position.

Mounted on the inner margins of the bottom I Ia of each retainer there is an arcuate retainer plate 23 shaped to ilt closely about the inner pipe when the rams are in active position. These retainer plates 23 are slidably mounted and extended inwardly beyond the inner margins of the corresponding bottoms I-Ia of the retainers.. They are provided with spaced openings 24 through which the sealing material is molded to tie them in place.

In operation when a blowout is threatened the shafts 22 may be turned by any suitable means provided for the purpose so as to move the rams inwardly into active position around the inner pipe and the sealing material I8 will completely surround and fit closely against said inner pipe to form a fluid tight seal therewith. At the same around the preventer casing opening with the time packing rings I9 and 20 will form seals all bottom and thetop, respectively, of said preventer casing. The inner margins of the cover plates I2 and the retainer plates 23 will also be in contact` with the inner pipe. If a leak should develop the retainers II, I I may be forcedfurther inwardly placing the sealing material I8 under compression and forcing it more closely about the inner pipe 9. As the sealing material is placed under compression it will ilow through the openings I6, I1 into the grooves I4, l5 placing the material in said grooves under compression and forming iluid tight seals between the rams and the bottom and top 2 and 3, of the preventer casing so as to form continuous seals between the rams and preventer casing all the l way around the opening through said casing.

As compression is applied tothe sealing material I8 the retainers I I will move inwardly but the cover plates I2 and the retainers 23 being already in contact with the inner pipe will remain stationary. This inward movement of theretainers is permitted because the inner margin of each bottom IIa is spaced outwardly from the inner pipe as is more clearly shown in Figure 1.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only. reserving the right to make such mechanical changes as will not depart from the principle o! the invention as defined by the appended claims. 4

. What we claim is:

1. In a blowout preventer a movable ram comprising a retainer having .side walls, an outer end wall and a bottom all Joined .together as a unit, the inner margin of the bottom being arcuate. an independent cover plate on the retainer whose inner margin is arcuate, a retainer plate seated on the bottomwhose inner margin is arcuate and extends inwardly beyond the corresponding margin of the bottom. resilient material filling the retainer and forming sealing means and whose inner end is exposed, said cover plate, retainer plate and bottom having openings through which the resilient material is molded whereby to unite the retainer, retainer plate and the cover plate together as a unit.

2. A blowout preventer comprising a casing having an opening therethrough to receive an inner pipe, complemental rams in the casing whose inner ends are shaped to fit closely around the inner pipe when in active position, each ram comprising a retainer ,having side walls, an outer wall and a bottom all joined together as a. unit, the inner margin of the bottom being arcuate, an independent cover plate on the retainer whose inner margin is arcuate, a retainer plate seated on the bottom whose inner margin is arcuate and extends inwardly beyond the corresponding marginl of the bottom, resilient material filling the retainer. and forming sealing means and whose inner end ls exposed, said resllient material being incorporated with the cover plate, retainer plate and bottom whereby to unite the retainer, retainer plate and cover plate together a's a unit.

ARTHUR J. PENICK. KIRBY T. PENICK. 

